354 JOURNAL OF THE LEPIDOPTERISTS' SOCIETY

THREE NEW UNITED STATES RECORDS (LYCAENIDAE AND

NYMPHALIDAE) AND OTHER UNUSUAL CAPTURES

FROM THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS

RICHARD A. ANDERSON

3526 Bapaume Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23509

A year's collecting in the Lower Florida Keys during 1972-1973 turned up three species of butterflies not previously recorded for the United States and several other uncommon and unusual captures. It is difficult to estimate on the basis of the present records how extensively the new species have established themselves, but at least one has a well estab­lished colony.

Electrostrymon angelia angelia (Hewitson) (Fig. 1)

This species was first captured in Key West on 6 April 1973 and was taken continuously each month until my departure in November 1973. E. angelia was found in and around a tropical hardwood area and was attracted to the blossoms of Brazilian Pepper Schinus terebinthefolius (Raddi) and Seagrape Coccoloba uvifera (L.). When these blossoms were no longer available, the butterflies were found perched on leaves at the edge of the wooded area or in open areas within the trees, and were almost always perched in areas of shade or broken sunlight rather than in direct sunlight. A preference for shaded areas was especially notice­able in the summer months, whereas in April and again in October­November perches were more likely to be in areas of scattered sunlight.

E. angelia was not common and seldom were more than 3-5 specimens captured at one location. However, during the end of April as many as 20-25 specimens were seen flying about in clearings and open areas on clear, hot afternoons. This hairstreak did not seem to prefer any particular height for perching, rather the nature of the foliage and the amount of sunlight seemed to determine the perch.

Harry Clench of the Carnegie Museum has determined that the Key West population belongs to the nominate populations found on Cuba and not to E. angelia dowi (Clench) which occurs in the Bahamas. Apparently, thc colony on Key West is well established and should remain barring destruction of the area. Specimens are being deposited

in the collections of the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Allyn Museum, Sarasota, Florida.

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Fig. 1. Electrostrymon angelia angelia (Hewitson), &, upper (left) and under (right) surfaces (collected at Key West, Munroe Co., Florida, 30 May 1973, R. A. Anderson leg.) 2.7X. Allyn Museum photo nos. 1l0773-15/ 16.

Stl'ymon limenia (Hewitson) (Fig. 2)

Two males and one female of this species were captured on 23 December 1972 on Big Pine Key on the flowers of Spanish Needles (Bidens pilosa L.). Had I not had previous experience with S. limenia, I'm sure I would have overlooked it due to the similarity in pattern between this species and the more common S. columella modesta (May­nard). A single male S. limenia was also captured in Key West on 23 May 1973 when resting near blossoms of a Brazilian Pepper. Subsequent

Fig. 2. Strymon limenia (Hewitson), &, upper (left) and under (right) surfaces (collected at Key West, Munroe Co., Florida, 23 May 1973, R. A. Anderson leg.). 2.7X. Allyn Museum photo nos. 110773-17/18.

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collecting in Key West and on Big Pine Key did not produce additional specimens. Steve Roman of Orlando, Florida has reported (in litt.) that he found a male S. limenia dated 3 April 1971 in his series of S. columella from Big Pine Key.

The known records for this species cover a period of two years and two Keys which are thirty-five miles apart. Perhaps this hairstreak is established on the Keys between the known locations as well as on other Keys toward the mainland, and has heretofore escaped detection due to its similarity to S. columella. One male and one female have been de­posited in the collection of the Allyn Museum.

Anartia lytrea (Godart) (Fig. 3)

A fresh male of this species was captured on 22 February 1973 in Key West. Harry Clench has mentioned (pers. comm.) that he has seen another specimen of A. lytrea from Big Pine Key captured in 1972. These two records, thirty-five miles apart, suggest the possibility of an estab­lished colony in the Lower Keys. The specimen from Key West was flying in an open wooded area and conveniently landed on the ground where it was captured. This particular locality was frequently visited but no additional specimens were seen. Lee Miller of the Allyn Museum has indicated (pers. comm.) that the specimen from Key West does not match the description of A. lytrea chrysopelea (Hubner) from Cuba and therefore the proper subspecific determination has not been made at this time. My specimen has been deposited in the collection of the Allyn Museum.

Chlo1'Ostrymon maesites maesites (Herrich-Schaffer)

Twenty-seven specimens of this rare hairstreak were taken in Key West during the months of May through September 1973. Although there are captures for each month during this time, most of the specimens were captured from the last week in May to the middle of June. This peak in numbers occurred when the Brazilian Pepper and Guamachil Apes­earring (Pithcellobium dulce Benth.) were in bloom. Blossoms of Pithcellobium were especially attractive. Although some C. maesites were captured while visiting the blossoms of these two trees, most were found perched on leaves of other nearby trees, and always on perches in direct sunlight. No more than half of the individuals seen were cap­hued because they constantly changed perches, their flight being rapid and difficult to follow, and frequently their perches were out of range of my long-handled (12 ft.) net. However, some specimens were taken

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Fig. 3. Anartia lytrea (Godart), 8, upper (left) and under (right) surfaces (collected at Key West, Munroe Co ., Florida, 22 February 1973, R. A. Anderson leg.). 1.5X. Allyn Museum photo nos. 110773-13/14.

from perches as low as 3-6 ft. above the ground. Its small size and green underside often made this hairstreak extremely difficult to see when resting on foliage. Despite the moderate number of C. maesites taken, it was not common on Key West and the individuals seen and captured were the result of frequent visits to the known colonies for a period of several months.

Marpesia eleuchia (Hubner)

A male of this Antillean Dagger Wing was captured on 14 October 1973 on Sugarloaf Key. It was attracted to the blossoms of a Brazilian Pepper and was flyiug with M. petreus (Cramer) which was common at the time. The specimen was in good condition and did not look as though it was a visitor from outside the Keys. Subsequent visits to the area during the rest of October did not locate additional specimens. The specimen has been deposited in the collection of the Allyn Museum.

Eurema boisduvaliana (Felder)

One fresh female was taken on 20 September 1973 in an open wooded area in Key West. The capture was made in a frequently collected area and was the only example of this species seen. The specimen has been deposited in the collection of the Allyn Museum.

Erynnis zarucco zarucco (Lucas)

Approximately twenty percent of the specimens seen from the Key West area have a white fringe on the hindwing, which is characteristic

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of E. zarucco funeralis (Scudder and Burgess). The white fringe is not as extensive as in typical E. z. funeralis but is intermediate between it and typical E. z. zarucco. Most of the specimens with significant white fringes on the hindwing were females. Interestingly, Kimball (1965, Lepidoptera of Florida) records four male funeralis-like E. zarucco from northern Florida.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to thank Dr. Lee Miller of the Allyn Museum for making the photographs accompanying this article, and Harry Clench of the Car­negie Museum for his sub specific determination of E. angelia. My ap­preciation also goes to Stan S. Nicolay and Dr. J. Bolling Sullivan for their suggestions and critical reviews of the manuscript.

HYBRID BETWEEN CaLlAS EURYTHEME AND CaLlAS HARFORDII (PIERIDAE) CAPTURED IN CALIFORNIA

The first recorded hybrid between Colias eurytheme (Boisduval) and Colias har­fordii (H. Edwards), a perfect male, was captured by the author near Cachuma Creek, San Rafael Mountains, Santa Barbara County, California. The date of capture was 1 May 1970. This locality is approximately two miles south of Cachuma Saddle Ranger Station, and five miles southeast of Figueroa Mountain. Adults of both eurytheme and harfordii have been observed flying in the San Rafael Mountains, and larvae of both species have been found on Astragalus antisellii (Gray) in Oso Canyon. The specimen has been placed in the Peabody Museum of Natural History, at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

RICHARD C. PRIESTAF, 5631 Cielo Avenue, Goleta, California 93017.